Fun, steamy, and heartfelt...sometimes you have to jump in with both feet and trust you can swim...also gives a great "escape your life" vibe

"Love at First Book" is a heartwarming story about starting over in mid-adulthood, which is so interesting and exciting for me to read since there seems to be onky few books of a similar setting.

This book follows Emily as she moves to Ireland to work for her favorite author and help her with writer's block, all while dealing with the broody author's son, Kieran. The setting of Finn's Hollow in Ireland is beautifully depicted, making me so wish I could be transported into that world. The slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance between Emily and Kieran was absolutely delicious and adorable and filled with witty banter, adding a delightful layer to the story which is always an easy way to touch my heart instantly. And it definitely had me hooked from the very beginning.

The book offers a classic, Hallmark-like plot with a small Irish village setting, a bookstore owner who dislikes Emily at first, and a slow-building romance that captured my heart. The subplot of Emily working as an assistant for the local author adds depth and emotion to the story, highlighting her growth and resilience in the face of past trauma. The chemistry between the main characters is palpable, and the supporting cast of townies adds charm and warmth to the story. I can't lie, I finished this book in one sitting because how hooked it had me!

The book also addresses themes of toxic family relationships, therapy, setting boundaries, and personal growth, providing a refreshing take on these topics which I appreciated so much. The intense and emotional journey towards finishing the author's book adds depth to the plot, keeping me engaged and invested in the outcome.

Overall, "Love at First Book" is a fantastic read that combines elements of romance, self-discovery, and healing, making it a must-read for fans of heartwarming and genuine stories.

Thankyou Netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

The setting. The tension. The hard headed bossy man! I loved it all. The mother daughter relationship tugged at my heart. I absolutely adore when authors continue with familiar characters. Read the book. It’s great.

Emily is looking for a fresh start, and when she lands the perfect job as an assistant position with her favorite author and working in a small bookstore, she knows she has to take it, even though it means leaving everything she knows and moving to Ireland. What she doesn't count on is running straight into a wall in the form of Kieran Murphy. He's prickly and rude, and he stirs up responses that mild-mannered Emily usually doesn't let out. Will she be able to stick it out and find her place? Or will Kieran set her running for the hills?

I love books about books, bookstores, or librarians, and this one checks all the boxes. Em is a full-fleshed out character with plenty of backstory and personal issues she is dealing with, and Kieran is one big teddy bear once Em breaks through his walls, though he also has his own personal ghosts to deal with. I loved the growing bonds between them, along with the found family Em gets with Siobhan and the other side characters in their little town.

This is a great read to hit all the feels - love and romance, personal loss and grief, and the excitement of finding a place to belong. Readers will grin at the banter between Em and Keiran, but they will also go through all the emotions with the characters as they deal with the realities of life.

The only downside to reading a book about a great series is now I want to read those books - and they don't exist! Not fair!

A book about a librarian named Emily YES, please. I love all things bookish this book checked all the boxes. I will say it started off slow at first so be ready for a long road. However, once I got into it I really enjoyed the non-spicy love story between the two characters. and the emotional development of the two made them so relatable. I will say I couldn't give it a full five stars for me because slow start but overall I really enjoyed this book.

Full disclosure, I did not finish this book. The book seemed like something I would enjoy but the cheesy dialogue and moments were just not for me. And in the end, this genre may not be for me as well, although there are some literary romance novels I do love. Oh well, I tried.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for an advanced copy to review.

Hi. I freaking adored this book. Anyone that can get me to openly sob on a plane has a way with words, building characters and playing with my emotions.

While I thought I was getting just a literary-centered, bookstore romance - I got so much more from Love at First Book. We get a motley crew of found family, a touching story of a mother trying to connect and seek forgiveness from her son, a love story, and a story of a woman finding her confidence and place despite a difficult relationship with her mother. And, it's all set in a dreamy small town in Ireland.

On several fronts, I think we have astounding character development - whether that is learning to let go and trust, learning to set out on your own, despite your insecurities, and learning to seek forgiveness. We get a brooding Irish man (and those steamy scenes? PLEASE - I am begging for more!)

By the end, I was so touched with the characters that I was openly weeping on a plane - something a book hasn't done to me in quite some time! Thank you for sharing this story and these thoughtful characters.

The way I want to run out and grab everything Jenn MicKinlay has ever written...

When Emily’s letter to her favorite author gets answered with an invitation to come to Ireland and be her assistant, she immediately packs her bags. She will work with Siobhan in the morning, and help out at the bookstore in the afternoons, but Siobhans son Murphy leaves much to be desired. He has made it clear he does not want Emily there, and when Siobhan begins writing again, he wants it even less. As time goes on, it becomes clear his dislike for her stems from a deep like for her he is trying to hide,

Ok I may not be doing inventory like Emily was, but this felt appropriate for this one. Also, did I finish this book before bed and just lay there sobbing? Yes...yes I did. I absolutely adored the banter between Kier and Emily, and the quotes they threw out from books throughout the story was beyond amazing. I never would have been as good as the two of them and knowing what book the quote was from. I also just loved Siobhan and the unique relationship she shared with Emily, it was so heartwarming, and the end left me in tears. I always enjoy McKinlay’s books and this one was no different!

Love at First Book was my first book I’ve read by Jenn McKinlay but it won’t be my last! I had so much fun reading this book. Emily is a librarian who gets the chance to move to Ireland and work for her favorite author. She’s an introvert, but the grumpy (sexy!) Irish bookshop owner brings out a fiery side of her at every turn. This was such a cozy read, I highly recommend making a pot of tea and enjoying this book on a cold rainy day by the fire.

I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

This was a sweet romance with not too much spice. It did take me a while to truly get into the book, but I am glad I was patient. I enjoyed the characters and the development of their relationship. Can't go wrong with a bookstore romance!

I couldn’t put this book down! Loved the Irish bookstore setting and the enemies to lovers romance :) this novel gave me all the feelings, and I truly felt connected to the characters. I also enjoyed the mental health representation.

This book is more than meets the eye! Not your typical romance. I really enjoyed the literary references and found myself getting very attached to the characters. The book's setting is lovely - both Ireland and the bookstore. Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy!

Thank you, Netgalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love the cozy bookshop/bakery and immersive Irish setting. This is a combo of two dreams for this reader as I have always wanted to go to Ireland, and my happy place is the bookstore!

This author does a fantastic job in creating a beautiful setting and imagery. The setting feels so realistic it makes me want to go to Ireland EVEN MORE!

The characters are wonderful, and I love the growth of Em as she overcomes her toxic mother and is the assistant to her favorite author. The author describes Em as an introvert and quiet. But Kieran brings out the fire in her, and it is delicious. I had to write down how he describes her as “fiery and feisty and fierce”. There was so much swooning when I got to that quote!

Also, the plot is pretty fantastic. Imagine you have the opportunity to work with your childhood favorite author to complete one of the greatest series of all time.

I really enjoyed this story so much and can’t wait for more from this author.

Advanced Reader Copy Review

When reading the synopsis of this book, it has all auto buys Librarian, Book Lovers, and Ireland. I wasn't expecting how Jenn McKinlay wrote a book so poignant about feeling stuck in life and not being afraid to start over. A toxic maternal relationship has trapped Emily, and she decides to leave it all to move to Ireland and be an assistant to her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan. Emily's relationship with the Tig McMorrow series helped her through her adolescence, and she is passionate about helping her new boss, Siobhan, finish the series and working in the bookshop owned by her son Kieran. This book weaves a beautiful story of friendship, love, found family, and book lovers' dreams, sprinkling quotes with many great literary works. This book made me laugh, cry, and squirm, but the ending about life, love, and the passage of time was so beautiful.

This book made my bookish heart very happy. A librarian working in an Irish bookstore while also acting as the assistant to her favorite sounds like a dream come true. It was such a sweet story that had me laughing and crying by turns. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

A heart warming story about starting over mid adulthood. This story follows Emily moving to Ireland to work for her favorite author and help her with writers block, but she also had to deal with the broody authors son.

While the chemistry and banter between Kieran and Emily was amazing. My favorite part of the story was Emily finding the best version of herself. When we first meet Emily she’s this shy introverted girl, but we see her become who she’s always wanted to be. This book handles difficult topics like loss, grief, childhood trauma and mental illnesses incredibly well.

I also just adored that Emily was such a bookish girl + Kieran was the bookish guy of my dreams!

Oh man this was such a great read and I loved rom coms set in bookstores and this one was even better since the bookstore was in a little Irish village. Emily is a librarian on Martha’s vineyard who is escaping her narcissistic mother and taking a job as her favorite author Siobhan’s assistant to help her finish the final book in her acclaimed series after 10 yrs of writer’s block. Enter her grumpy son Kieran who is smoking hot and doesn’t want her there and cue the shenanigans. This was such a great story and the chemistry between Emily and Kieran was there from the first glance even with him trying to scare her off. The relationship between Siobhan and Emily was so good and I loved the dynamic they had with each other. This was a great fast read.

Thanks to Berkley Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

This was my first book by Jenn McKinley and I must have lived under a rock because I loved this book and def need to read more by her.
This was a heartwarming, wholesome and sweet story.
The setting being in Ireland gave this book such cozy vibes (hello P.S i love you)
Also any story in a bookstore (please sign me up). This story was Hilarious, deeply emotional, and brimming with swoon-worthy passion. The banter and chemistry from the start was so fun ( I love a good enemies to lovers story)
Kieran absolutely brings out the feisty, impulsive parts of Emily (because she has no intention of giving up) he gives her this impossible task working on inventory with an awful outdated system lol Emily perseveres any refuses to let him win lol.

I loved the pacing of this romance, it felt very realistic but not slow burnish. Seeing them slowly accept each other and come to terms with their feelings and open up to one another was so beautiful.
I definitely can’t wait to read more by this author !

Read if you love:
Small town vibes
Bookstore
Enemies to lovers
Adventurous librarian
Irish gentleman

At first, I was kind of hesitant to read this book because I previously didn’t love the first book in the series. But the more I read this, the more I fell in love with their story. It’s such a heartwarming yet heartbreaking story. It’s really going to break your heart, but then repair it again. 
Love at First Book follows Emily Allen going out of her comfort zone and traveling to the Emerald Isle, where her favorite offers her a job. She immediately said yes. She absolutely adores all of her books, and it gives her a chance to leave her hometown and her mother. She knew she was out of her element when she instantly became attracted to the bookstore owner, who apparently didn’t like her at all. Apparently, he is her favorite author's son, who doesn’t want his mother to write again.
It’s going to be trickier for Emily. She ultimately traveled to the Emerald Isles so she could help her favorite author. And yet, she is facing obstacles from her favorite son, Kieran. It’s a bit difficult, yet refreshing. She finds herself looking forward to his rebuttals. It’s pretty entertaining to see who has the last word in their debate. You can already tell that they are slowly falling for each other. The tension and the longing are there. 
They may not like each other, but they slowly get to know each other. The more time they spend together, the closer they become. It’s just inevitable for them to be together.

100% transparent: I didn't finish this book.

The constant explanations of Irish culture were annoying.